If you would like to be kept up to date with upcoming OPEN DAY Events where L'Atelier Colette share French linens and finds sourced in France, visit Facebook page and like at link top right of this page.

Aug 4, 2014

It has been months since I last posted, and for good reason.One think you can plan your day, week , month , year..more or less,... but life sometimes forces one to pause. We may not like LIFE to interfere...but in the end, far end, it is always for the better and with reason.

I am happy to share that L'Atelier Colette has opened doors, and has had two very successful " OPEN DAY" events!

The first event was over two days early in JUNE, introducing French linens et tresor to everyone who so patiently waited for me to open the trunks, empty armoires and gather up to unpack and unveil.

I was so excited to be able to share at last.....

Antique French monogrammed linens...

grainbag runners

Original French torchon

French Brocante dolls...

Brocante tresor: cutlery

French monogrammed serviettes

Chemises:Original French linen working clothes

I got spoiled with flowers, custom baked biscuits , chocs and the best wishes... thank you!

The past week saw L'Atelier Colette 's second OPEN DAY EVENT.As space is limited and to accommodate even more fellow lovers of French linen, this time held over three days.

Feverish excited and surprised by everyone who travelled the distance, found the time to stay awhile, and loved what were shared...this time, adding to my must have item (Original French hand monogrammed linen)

~French dentelle et ruban ~

special lengths collected over time at Brocantes, others from a favourite little lace shop in Paris, and then some. Original and vintage in style.

Vintage Parisien Pink velvet ruban

on original wooden bobbins..

L'Atelier Colette is not a conventional shop ~

it is a space where everything I collect on travels to France is kept together, ready to be shared at regular OPEN DAY EVENTS , and for out of town visitors..or if you just could not make it to the Open Day Event, - there is a welcome "by appointment" ~arrangement

If you would like to be invited to these OPEN DAY EVENTS , please forward your email to colette@lecapfoods.com or click on the link top right of this page-which will take you to L'Atelier Colette Face book page where you will be kept up to date on a daily basis about what is happening in my petit Atelier!

a reminder: contact me if you are interested~ the last few copies of Nina Hartmann book: Among vintage & friends,still available.Will post country wide.

Jan 14, 2014

THANK YOU Lééf magazine for sharing my love for French finds in a 4 page interview

"my lewe in 'n plakboek"

Now available in shops in South Africa and also to online subscribers

as from today 14 January 2014

here are some snippets of the article…..

I will share the full pages later

***** **********

Stacks of French linen everywhere..

linge, chanvre, drap, torchons

serviettes,original bobbins with lace, monograms,

French Brocante finds….

all ready to be shared.

there is a space in the making,

l'atelier Colette should have been ready by now, and I would have loved to have been able to reveal it to you at the same time as around now that the Lééf interview and article is published

but, building, how ever small, never hardly ever goes according to planned!

Up to now, I shared my French finds at open days, Vintage markets and here at home…but the time has come to stack all together in one place…l'atelier Colette, my work place, is expanding and although just a petit studio next to my office.. all will be together…just like the little room I found at the back of a Brocante in the Dordogne, years ago. Stacked with linens, it sparked a dream…to one day share that excitement : to be able to open the doors to a room stacked high with my passion,old French linens and textiles… you will be entering my dream.

.

SO looking forward to opening these doors for you!

(we are now working on the finishing touches before moving in..)

I will keep you informed here on La Brocanteuse blog as well as on FB page ~ see link to register at top of the page.

thank you to every one supporting me and sharing in my love for all things French, but most of all,waiting patiently for l'atelier Colette to offer those fabulous precious of all..sourced and found in the French country side..original French linens and the stories that come with them…

et bientôt

Colette

PS ~the article on Nina Hartman's book as promised will be published in next post. ( due to technical restrictions while away on vacation, it had to stand over- my apologies.

Dec 22, 2013

We will be right here for the next few weeks at the Beach house, a last minute change of plans.

this was the first object I ever bought for our beach house..a chiseled reproduction of the Oath of Hippocrates(found at a museum shop in Schiathos- Greece)I always pick a olive branch and tuck it behind the plaque- ALWAYS- when we arrive for a pause from life here..

We originally booked a 3 week trip to Argentina,some months ago when January was still way ahead. Departure date: 3rd January 2014 -the closer it came to finalising last admin about house sitter, dog hugging, walking, and packing travel bags instead of beach wear....we became more and more reluctant and not so eager to leave for so far away.

A few days ago,I threw it out there..." What if we cancel the trip for now?- just go to the beach house like we have been doing every year? for many years...the other two looked at me, eyes lit up, and what a great thing when a family is in sinc about a (sort of )important question!

So we took the option of paying the airline cancellation fees ( trusting another 1 or 3 people will be over the moon excited to have such short notice to travel to Bueonos Aires..and we have a full 12 months to use our tickets ( to same destination as originally booked) JAY!yes, of course the fact that our pooch ~ Yentl~ can now be with us, weighed (very) heavy!

We will be spending the holidays looking at familiar views, walking known shores, feasting on catch from the sea and sitting down with our friends we have known forever..just a stroll away. No driving to much, impromptu summer entertaining and falling asleep to the sound of the sea. BLISS!

Perhaps we as a family are in need for a little quiet, some simple things, and that is a wonderful something to share...

Dizzy with excitement ,Dd and myself came down to the beach house , a few days ago to open all up, air the house that has not had fresh air since we left in January2013, after our last Christmas here..

Of course we had plans to come back more over weekends. But 2013 became extremely busy, and we could never even take one weekend away from commitments to stop and pause here for a while.

The house is now open, aired,cleaned with the help of a little village team, and pantry stocked with fresh produce, we are pleased and thankful to have this really special place to come to..sorry house for neglecting you in 2013,we missed you and WILL REALLY make more time in 2014.

With the need for simpler things, we put together a Christmas tree made out of collected moss branches, shells, star fish and a few glass balls filled with shells we picked up..some biscuits that probably will not last long..if not eaten , sea air will soften them, but that is OK! We will add more shells and driftwood from daily walks ~there is so much beauty in nature.

opting for real advent candles

we will spend Christmas eve back in Stellenbosch for a previous commitment to have Christmas dinner with friends, returning on 25th , spending time with our "other family" and remembering Marie, who we sadly had to say goodbye to in 2013..Marie Woulidge, we will keep up the good work and do it just like every other year...

Wishing you all a truly blessed Christmas 2013**********LIKE LaBrocanteuse FB for daily clickssee link at top of this blog page.name of FB will soon change to L'Atelier Coletteto be the same as my new shop and work place..**********South African followers can see my interview with LEEF and pics in "My lewe in 'n plakboek"February issue of LEEFmagazine-

on shelves and available locally from 14 January 2014

NEXT BLOG POST: NINA HARTMAN BOOK ~ VINTAGE amongst friends.

sharing some images of this MUST have book, and how you can get your own copy

as the Africa Agent, you can contact me if you are a dealer and interested to carry this book in your shop.

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About Me

Like so many francophiles out there, I have also fallen under the spell of all things French. The lifestyle, the markets, French Brocantes... I love the hunt for antique monogrammed linen,chanvre, metis,hemp and lace, religious iconography, vieux carte postale or whatever intrigue to bring back and share at my brocante events.
Living in Stellenbosch winelands in the very South of Africa,we combine our colonial roots with French finds. These are my passions.This is my world.